Read the full article here…

Here is the first paragraph:

Train hard and make sure you do some serious sweating to detoxify the body and prevent disease. Research shows that people who perform regular intense exercise detoxify more heavy metals through a variety of mechanisms than the less active population, and sweating is one of the best ways to regularly remove toxins.

Recent media reports have incorrectly suggested that helping the body to detoxify is not necessary, and that sweating won’t remove toxins. They’re wrong. The bad news is that everyone must support the body’s natural detoxification by any reasonable means because we are constantly and overwhelmingly exposed to heavy metals, petrochemical toxins, and pollutants that mimic hormones. The good news is that if you eat right, train hard, and make sure you sweat regularly, you can significantly improve the detox process.

To check out the full article click here…

Until next time, it’s more than personal training, it’s NewportFit4Life.com

So…this thing called cardio is a MUST. Not necessarily long, slow cardio like the images the word depicts when you hear “cardio” though. But WHY should you not do this? That is the question. Haven’t we in America been duped into believing that jogging for 5 miles several times a week will get us lean, toned and super sexy in no time?! That the key to dropping fat and losing weight was hours on the treadmill or elliptical machine?!
Yes we have. But can this method be wrong? Yes it can actually. I live in Orange County. I see people running all the time. Skinny people. Fat people. All jogging. Did you know that Olympic distance runners are fatter percentage wise than Olympic sprinters? Science tells us that performing aerobic activity at or around 65% of total heart rate (THR) for an extended period of time stresses the adrenal glands and causes an increase in cortisol production. Cortisol is the “stress” hormone that will cause you to store more fat on your tummy if you don’t keep it in check.

Don’t believe me? Read this:
Friends Don’t Let Friends Do Cardio

My clients hear from me about what I believe regarding cardio. Now it’s time to share with the rest of the world what science tells us to be helpful in the your personal fat loss program. And here’s the thing: I NEED cardio done from all of you at least twice a week! But not jogging…not the elliptical, PLEASE DON’T EVER step on a treadmill. Many of you, enjoy biking, hiking, swimming, running, even scuba! I’ve had to rein some of my clients in a little for fear of overtraining actually. It can be a slippery slope.

And for many people cardio can be a struggle. All you need is 20 minutes to start. But twice a week could be necessary to supplement your gym workouts.

The protocol I have been recommending lately is the 8/12 protocol. Basically, once warmup is complete, you sprint hard (whether it’s running, swimming, biking, etc) at about 80-90% max, for 8 seconds. At the 8 second mark you rest for 12 seconds. You are now at the 20 second elapsed mark. Simply repeat the 8 second sprint again followed by the 12 second rest. Now you are at 40 seconds elapsed. I GUARANTEE if you do this 20 times you will be cursing my name. And do the math. 20 times should only take you 6:40. Yes. Six minutes and forty seconds. The goal is to get to 60 reps. Again, do the math. 60 reps will take you 20 minutes. Work your way up to that but 20 minutes is all it’ll take to aid in fat loss, a healthy heart and whatever else your little heart desires. (Just kidding about the last part.)

Here is an article I like to share with new clients that REALLY helps to see why this can be so beneficial.

Belly Fat? Lose it.

The article was about BURNING BELLY FAT!!!! Does anyone out there want to burn some belly fat???

Read Me!!

Until next time I encourage all of you joggers, and other cardio fiends, out there to try this protocol. Your running will never be the same. You won’t hurt in your knees and other joints as much. And your body will never be so lean and strong.

Check it out here:

So for the month of January I am choosing to only eat meats, eggs, above ground vegetables, olive oil, coconut oil & avocado. Organic is preferred and HIGHLY recommended. Veggies served raw are also HIGHLY recommended (although I’m sure I’ll cook some as well).
Many people call this the “Paleolithic diet” as it is the way our prehistoric ancestors ate. It basically is the scientific way we are supposed to eat for the peak performance of our bodies. We weren’t meant to eat sugar, gluten, alcohol and the like.

The results you will experience will be greater than you expected. How you will feel and the energy you will have will be off the charts. What we are doing is eliminating all of the common food allergies and detoxifying our bodies by focusing on what it REALLY needs and not filling our bodies with things that harm it. No gluten. No grain. No soy. No dairy. No caffeine. No alcohol. No corn.

Science has taught us that it is not fat that causes us to get fatter. It is carbohydrates. Insulin is the hormone that causes fat to stay on our body. I wish all personal trainers taught this belief. They do not. Many health professionals (personal trainers, strength coaches, nutritionists, dieticians, weight loss experts, etc) teach the “calories in vs. calories out” mantra. That if you burn more calories than you consume you will lose weight. Science tells us that this is simply not true.
***Do NOT count calories.
This month long diet will eliminate carbohydrates (except for the fibrous type found in some above ground veggies). Some people may feel a loss of energy for a week or so. Fear not. This will go away and your energy levels will rebound even higher than before you started this diet challenge.

***I have done this challenge in the past and people have had some questions. So to clear up some things that ARE acceptable:
Butter-I recommend and use KerryGold. They use
dairy from grass fed cows. Do NOT use margarine.

Raw nuts- these are encouraged as a snack.

Salt/Pepper-used in moderation are ok. I only recommend Himalayan or celtic sea salt, NO table salt should be used.

Just try it…

If you’ve been struggling with getting rid of fat what is it that is keeping the fat on? Whatever you are doing it isn’t working. It’s time to try an alternative method to fat loss. What’s the worst that could happen? The science has shown that eating a paleo style diet will cause the fat to melt off. It is simply the right way to eat.

I challenge everyone reading this blog post to participate with me and see how great your body can look AND feel in just 30 days. But I’m guessing that after the 30 days are up you will want to continue to eat this way because of what great strides you have made in your health. If you want to eat any of the “banned substances” after 30 (or more) days then we’ll reintroduce ONE AT A TIME to see if you are intolerant to it AS WELL AS show you how your body reacts to it. Right now you can’t tell how it reacts because it’s been desensitized over the years.
Your gut wall will be in better shape making food more digestible by the body. You won’t experience dips in your energy (like after lunch) as often.

Your sense of smell and taste could even improve!

The two other things that are necessary that I’ve preached since day one are:

1. Drink 1/2 your bodyweight in ounces of water per day! (So if you’re 150lbs you drink 75oz/day) Drink more on days you work out.

2. Be in bed AND ASLEEP by 10:30pm. NO EXCEPTIONS. This will allow proper rest for the muscles (the most metabolically active organ in the body) and reduce stress-inducing hormones like cortisol (promotes belly fat) and raise stress relieving hormones like melatonin.

Please pass this blog along to anyone who you think would want to join us…

Let’s all get lean, healthy and strong in 2012 and let’s do it together!!

On the Center for Individual Freedom website, in a hearing in the House Government Reform Committee a report was given about the “Supersizing of America.” In this hearing, some liberal interest groups such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest were mentioned for supporting the use of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to increase federal regulation on our food choices. This is based on the belief that Americans cannot make responsible choices about what to eat and drink. The same interest groups have been pushing for legislation for a new federal tax on junk foods, sodas, and snacks calling it the “Twinkie Tax.” The government has already been regulating foods in schools. For example, the types of foods in the vending machines have changed over the past few years, from candy and soda to crackers and juice.

I’m not sure if anyone noticed but if you walk into a chain restaurant in California these days and look at the menu, you will see the calorie amounts for the items listed. Calories and other nutritional information have been out in some form, like brochures, but as of January of this year, many restaurants are required to display calories alongside items on the menu.Listing calories on menus is intended to help consumers make more informed and healthier food choices when they dine out. But recent studies show that may not be the case. A yearlong study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found customers’ orders were unaffected by menu labeling.

What kind of food choices are you making?? What kind of example are you setting for your kids??

www.cfif.org/htdocs/legislative_issues/state_issues/supersizing_america.htm

http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/menus-list-calories-californians-may-not-be-counting-8360

Secondly, the massive amount of horizontal pressing movements that most people do (think bench press), and the avoidance of horizontal rowing, has turned us into athletes with shoulders rolled forward, necks always craned ahead, and shallow chests.

So basically, with overdeveloped pecs and delts and weak back muscles, you look like a hunch back. Your chest is sunken. You’ve got the “grandpa hunch” going. You may say that you do rows! but sadly most people do not row in a way that targets the right muscles and is dynamic enough to fix your problem.

A typical workout ignores the rhomboids. Developing this muscle in the middle of your upper back will balance your workout and help you stand taller. Moreover, most guys struggling to gain lean body mass also seem to have posture issues that lead to soft issue issues that lead to long-term issues.

Your upper back muscles mostly consist of the latissimus dorsi (the lats), the rhomboids and the trapezius (traps). Aside from providing stability to your spine, the upper back muscles are also prominently used during any sort of pulling motion as in rowing or the tug-o-war game at field day.

To learn more about your upper back muscles check out this website: Upper Back Muscles

To Reawaken Your Rhomboids, look at this website for a few exercises that will target the rhomboids and teach you how to row correctly.

One recent finding that caffeine increases the body’s fat-burning potential has many people loading up on coffee before going to the gym. This finding may hold some degree of truth in it, but caffeine is, in essence, a diuretic, and diuretics dehydrate the body. Caffeine may increase the heart rate, causing a few more calories to be burned, but this is at the expense of the muscles, which need water to function properly. This isn’t doing your heart any favors, either. It’s already working hard enough during your workout. Never mix caffeine and exercise. In fact, your best bet is to stay away from caffeine all together. It’s a big bully that pushes your friend water out of your system. Not to mention it affects cortisol levels which, when elevated, can lead to excess belly fat!

Eight glasses a day? Are you kidding?! It really isn’t that much. I personally challenged myself to carry around a water bottle to class, to work, etc, and it was not difficult to drink 5 12-ounce water bottles in the day. This is okay if you’re 120lbs. Why?? Because as a general rule of thumb you NEED TO drink half of your bodyweight in ounces of water per day.

Yes, that much.

So if you weigh 150lbs, you should be drinking 75oz per day. 200lbs – 100 oz. You get the idea. You also need to increase your intake if you live in a hot climate and/or on days you exercise.

When you drink enough water throughout the day, you will very quickly notice a decrease in your appetite. If you are serious about becoming leaner and healthier, drinking water is an absolute must.

And don’t drink out of plastic. I know I know, It’s easy to grab a bottle and go…but DON’T DO IT! Invest in a metal or glass water bottle to keep at your desk, with you in the car, or wherever you spend your time during the day.

I thought it would be fun to show all of you a “show-off” move I did a few months back while training with some other personal trainer friends from my old gym. Showing off happens sometimes when we get together and lift weights…and since I LOVE turkish get-ups I figured I’d show them a really cool version I can do.

You exercise or kettlebell fanatics may enjoy it…

Why is eating healthy so important?
How much food should you eat and how much is too much?

The saying goes, “You are what you eat,” so it is important to eat healthy because what you eat is the fuel that runs your body and gives you energy throughout the day. Maintaining a healthy diet can increase longevity of life and combat diseases. Some diseases are genetic and you can’t do much about it but other diseases like diabetes and heart disease may be prevented with proper diet.

Having healthy eating habits is also important for children and teens for growth and development.

People today eat way more than they use to and way more than they should. Our food industry has also been “vandalized” by too many companies looking to increase their revenue so they make our food more cheaply. Less quality ingredients, more preservatives and fillers make for cheaper food – but also food of a lower caliber.
Some things to keep in mind when grocery shopping. (And Phil or I can give you reasons why we believe these statements should be followed by all if you leave a comment or email us at phil@newportfit4life.com):

*Buy organic
*Eat organic, free range, grass fed meat
*Eat less carbohydrates
*Think paleolithic or “caveman” diet: mostly flesh & fibrous vegetables
*Drink half of your body weight in ounces of (filtered) water per day

That means they are taking in more calories than they can burn. The amount people should eat may vary based on age, gender, and activity level. It varies between people because different people have different needs and goals. As an athlete or an active person, you should eat around 2000 calories a day. If you are not active then this would be too much. A good rule to go by would be to eat the same amount of calories you burn off to maintain the same weight.

What are some healthy eating habits?

Don’t skip breakfast. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, then eating small, healthy meals throughout the day rather than the standard three large meals will keep your energy up and your metabolism going.

Another good habit is to check the nutrition labels on the products you purchase and when you are cooking. Pay close attention the serving size and monitor how much you are eating.

Lastly, keep it simple. Instead of being concerned about counting your calories or measuring out portions, think of your diet in terms of color and variety. Focus on finding foods that you love and easy recipes with a few ingredients. Changing your diet is not an overnight task. Take small steps, like adding a salad to your diet, and as your small changes become habit, continue to add more healthy choices.

Written by: Randi Spence